The Sasso di Santa Croce, Sas dla Crusc in Ladin, is located in the Eastern Dolomites of Badia and with its 900 m vertical wall dominates the whole of Alta Badia. At its foot are the La Crusc refuge and the Sanctuary. The Sasso di Santa Croce is part of the small Alpe di Fanes. Among the most famous mountains are Cima Dieci, Cima Nove and Monte Cavallo. There are numerous climbing routes on the west face.
The Sasso di Santa Croce extends from San Cassiano to Pedraces and borders Alta Badia to the east. It is a mighty rocky mountain on which the warm rays of the sun are reflected at sunset: a wonderful image that is hard to forget! It is one of the most famous mountains in the valley because of its grandeur and central position.
The Sasso di Santa Croce derives its name from the Ladin term Sas dla Crus: Sas - which was mistakenly translated into Italian as Sasso, although Monte would have been more correct - and dla Crus, which comes from the Santa Croce Sanctuary located at the foot of the mountain, above the village of San Leonardo in Badia, in the municipality of Badia. Before the Sanctuary was built, the name was Sas Vanna, linked to the Ladin legends of the Fanes Kingdom.
The highest peak of the group is Cima Dieci (3,026 m), which can be reached on one side from the Fanes and Lavarella refuges and on the other from the Santa Croce hospice, following path number 7. The most famous peak is Monte Cavallo (2,907 m), which is often found in the landscape of Alta Badia. The peak can be reached by a via ferrata that starts at the Santa Croce sanctuary or from the Alpe di Fanes. Another peak is Cima Nove (2968 m), which can be reached from the Passo di Sant'Antonio, from the Fanes and Lavarella refuges or from La Valle.
At the foot of the Sasso di Santa Croce is the Sanctuary and the Hut/Restaurant, which can be reached with two chairlifts starting from Pedraces or with various hikes starting from San Leonardo, from Oies, from Valgiarei, from Castalta, from La Villa, from Pederoa, from San Cassiano and from La Valle. The hut is the starting point for a variety of family and expert routes. The Dolomite mountain also offers numerous via ferrata and climbing routes.
